New Ford pickup to debut at Detroit show

Detroit, January 12, 2008

Ford Motor Company's revamped F-150 full-size pickup truck that will debut at the Detroit Auto Show will be towing some unusually heavy baggage - the US automaker's future.

An all-new version of Ford's F-Series pickup trucks, which has been America's best-selling vehicle for 31 years and remains the most profitable vehicle in Ford's line-up, is scheduled to make its public debut on Sunday in Detroit.

The automaker, which has said its turnaround efforts hinge on exciting new products, is counting on the new trucks to help stem its protracted decline in US sales.

Ford executives have often described the truck, which accounts for about 30 per cent of Ford's US sales, as central to the success of the company.

'It's their most important product, the product they make their most money on,' said Global Insights analyst Rebecca Lindland. 'It's a vehicle that is very vital to their financial health.'

Ford needs the revamped truck, which has been completely redesigned with more interior features, to be a bigger success than the last version that sold over 900,000 units in 2004 and 2005, its first two full-year of sales.

Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for automotive consulting firm IRN Inc, said the redesigned F-150 pickup truck was 'paramount' for Ford. 'They have got to succeed,' he said.-Reuters